1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ice dispenser for producing chip ice to deliver the same to user.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ice dispenser is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei. 4-187961 is known as a machine for producing chip ice for delivery to a user. The ice dispenser is provided with an ice-making device including an auger that rotates spirally around a substantially vertical axis, and an agitator mounted on an upper end portion of the auger. The aforementioned ice dispenser is further provided with a chip ice stocker for storing chip ice produced in the ice-making device. The chip ice stocker includes a cylindrical wall formed around the agitator, and an opening formed on the cylindrical wall.
The opening formed on the cylindrical wall is opened and closed by an opening open/closure device. The opening open/closure device includes a bracket attached to the cylindrical wall, a shutter pivotably joined to the bracket via a connecting shaft, shutter springs for energizing the shutter around the connecting shaft so that the shutter closes the opening, a solenoid fixed on the bracket, a plunger that is actuated at right angle to the connecting shaft by the electromagnetic action of the solenoid, and a link for joining the shutter and the plunger.
In such an ice dispenser, since the chip ice that has been stored in the chip ice stocker is agitated by the agitator, it is possible to discharge the chip ice from the opening that is formed on the cylindrical wall of the chip ice stocker, even if the amount of ice stored in the chip ice stocker is low. When the chip ice stocker is almost filled with the stored ice, however, the shutter is rotatively moved by the agitating force being applied to the agitator in such a direction that the shutter be apart from the opening. Therefore, there is a risk that the chip ice can be freely discharged from the opening of the chip ice stocker.
In order to overcome such inconvenience, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Hei. 4-4676 discloses an opening open/closure device which further includes a supporting pivot attached to the link parallel to the connecting shaft, a shutter lock arm pivotably supported around the supporting pivot and having a hollow portion shaped so as to engage an outer peripheral surface of the connecting shaft, and shutter lock spring means for locking the shutter by applying spring force to the shutter lock arm pivoted around the supporting pivot thereby pressing the hollow portion on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting shaft.
While the shutter is locked by the shutter lock arm, however, since the hollow portion is forcibly pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the connecting shaft, the hollow portion becomes increasingly worn down. If the degree of the wear of the hollow portion increases, though the solenoid is actuated, the hollow portion is held in a state of being hollowed over the connecting shaft, and then the opening of the chip ice stocker cannot be opened. As a result, there is a disadvantage that the chip ice may not be delivered to a user when the user desires.